This is a real thing, and it’s called Filter Forge. Currently at version 9, it’s about to go to version 10 later this year and works on both Windows and macOS, standalone or as a plug-in for Photoshop, Affinity Photo, etc.
Filter Forge performs two main tasks: Applying fully customizable image effects, and creating highly detailed seamless textures. I’ve got my own examples generated by the app going back to at least 2006, and Filter Forge is still going strong.
*Keep an eye on the Filter Forge website as they often have deep discounts and upgrade specials.
To get started with our adventure, here is a very realistic peeling paint effect I added to one of my images back in 2006 (open any image in another window to view larger):
In 2010 I made this, how shall we say, possibly unpleasant texture effect with a single click of a preset:
Let’s look at a fresh example of Filter Forge in action. The photo of the Empire State Building is from 2008 but the effects were done this weekend. First, the unprocessed original:
Now (just because we can) we will go from mild to wild, clean to extreme!
That was very easy, and it was just one of thousands of editable presets. If this example doesn’t work for you, guaranteed there are many others to perfectly match your intended purpose.
*Keep an eye on the Filter Forge website as they often have deep discounts and upgrade specials.
Here’s a look at the Filter Forge interface with the same base photo but an entirely different effect. The filter, called “Modern Art”, was one of many submitted by a Filter Forge user to the huge online library:
At upper left of the interface you’ll see the Textures and Effects filter categories and previews of each in a scrollable window. Once a filter is selected for use, you can choose from any of perhaps 25 sub-presets (it depends on what the filter author offers), and also make your own adjustments and edits.
If you’re daring and an advanced user, you can dig deep into the Filter Editor:
I went through the various Effects categories and selected random examples to show you the wide variety of interesting results you can achieve with a single click:
And of course you can do less-extreme image corrections and enhancements as well.
Now let’s look some more at the texture capability of Filter Forge. Here is a preset called gold/coal/silver, and it’s very believable:
Notice that you have control over lighting and reflections, just like a dedicated 3D program.
Here is another random set of Filter Forge texture effects, hopefully less icky than the first one posted above 😉
On Filter Forge‘s website you can download any number of filters you want for free and install them in the app:
If you want to be a piggie (like me!) you can use an in-app legacy method to grab them all in batches from the Filter Library (select all, Download, enjoy):
I hope you’ll explore Filter Forge if you haven’t already! A free 30-day trial is available. Keep an eye on the Filter Forge website as they often have deep discounts and upgrade specials.
Here are more details:
Amazing Realistic and Artistic Photo Effects
Over 6300 artistic effect filters that can be applied to any image. It takes just a few clicks to achieve an effect that will require hours to implement in other software. Filter Forge saves your time and money – one-click solution for all your graphic needs!
•Scratched photo and watercolor, technicolor film and comic book effects, Van Gogh or Chuck Close style – get everything in Filter Forge
•Thousands of variations per filter – change the appearance in one click
•View the original image and the applied effect side by side with an interactive “before/after” wipe
•Filter Editor to create your own unique effects or modify existing ones
New Horizons in Texture Realism
Over 6800 textures that are ready to use in 3D modelling and game engines. Realistic and fantastic textures, with render maps and proper real-world HDR lighting – get your project going in a few clicks!
•Cheese or magma, parquet or paper, steel plating or caviar – Filter Forge is at your service
•Thousands of variations per texture – change the appearance in one click
•Diffuse, bump, specular, normal and other maps – all fully anti-aliased
•Resolution independence: all textures are generated procedurally and can be rendered in any resolution without losing any detail
•Direct support for Unity/Unreal PBR shaders, as well as generic shaders compatible with any other 3D engine
•Support for seamless tiling, even for non-square textures
•Real-world HDR lighting and accurate shadowing
•Filter Editor to create your own unique textures or modify existing ones